One senior doctor must be there in the emergency ward of every government hospital during night shift for the safety and security of medics, nurses, health workers and patients of the concerned healthcare unit.
The National Task force (NTF) formed after the directive of the Supreme Court has recently proposed this move directing all government hospitals across the country to depute one senior doctor in every emergency ward during the night shift.
The newly-formed NTF has already submitted a proposal in this regard to the apex court and Union health ministry. The proposal has also been conveyed to every state, directing them to take necessary steps for deployment of senior doctors in emergency wards in public sector hospitals.
The apex court had directed the Union health ministry to form the NTF soon after the heinous incident of rape-murder at R G Kar Hospital on 9 August.
There had been country-wide people’s outrage demanding safety and security of medics, nurses, patients and other staff, inside hospitals and medical colleges after the incident.
The doctors, under the banner of the West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Front (WBJDF) have also been holding protest programmes demanding justice and end of threat culture.
The task force has also reportedly proposed that all vehicles used by government hospitals during night should be brought under GPS to ensure safety and security of patients, doctors and other employees.
An administrative officer of a premier government medical college hospital in the city said that deployment of one senior doctor in the emergency ward of every government hospital in night shift has already been decided in the state long ago but the move has not yet been strongly implemented.
“I think the NTF proposal will be implemented strongly in hospitals this time,” he said, requesting anonymity.